Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-02-10

cr lovers Aad sighed In vain. when
Betty first went out. and began to re-
sumo her ordinary life rs ii nothing
had happened. the Squire's family had
gone abroad. and had taken Louise
Turner with th,m to Tighten the shad-
ow of their GRIEF; and stone in the
Squire lot in the cemetery recorded
the fact that Aleck Fanshawe
had lived and died. 1t would
have been a melancholy comfort 10
Betty TO hang wreaths upon that
great white stone that confronted her
like a ghost among the shrubbery, to
plant flowers about it. But how could
she lavish such living trities in memory
OF the man who had deprived her OF the
poor privilege of weeping for him? She
sometimes felt as if she would like to
leave Haven forever; every road and
stile and bit of wood reminded her of
Aleck. 1t was here he met her on her
daily walk from school; it was in the
wood they gathered the autumn leaves,
and came home laden with spoils; on
this river the moonlight had found
them; on this wild bank Aleck had sat
and sketched the scene for her; beneath
this tree he had read to her from the
poets. The very air of the places they
had freIuented together seemed filled
with the tender words he had spoken.
Could it be that he had not cared?
Why, then, had he spent his last even
ing ashore with her? He had left early.
to be sure, saying he must pack and be
of by daybreak. Had he gone from
her to Louise? The bough of scarlet
berries he had given her that night had
hung in her room ever since, where her
eyes would see it on waking. The first
time she was able to walk across the
room after her illness she took it down
anu threw it upon the open fire; in
deed, she took out all of his letters for
the same purpose, but put them back
again, not strong enough to abandon
them all at once.
1t was summer at Haven, but it was
not summer in Betty LIE Breton's heart
think she remembered other Junes,
whose flowers were no sweeter, whose
woods were no greener-JuneS that
had borrowed something of their charm
from her own happiness, that like the
moon shone with borrowed light. She
was trying to sing one of the old songs
at her piano one twilight-songs she
had sung with Aleck in their drives
through the woodland aisles, where
they had loved to linger; but the sobs
choked her, and the tears crowded and
jostled each other in her eyes; and sud-
denly when the last vibration of the
notes had ceased. voice outside took
up the strain and sang it through.
cit is Aleck." she cried, hurrying to
the piazza like one in a dream. Then
she walked, turned back and sat down.
Supposing it was Aleck, he belonged to
| Louise. Of course it was mistake.
1t was because she had been thinking
about him. Aleck was dead. and she
| had no right to think of him. She
never would think of him again
never; she would forget him, as he had
forgotten her. Dead or alive, he could
be nothing to her-nothing, nothing.
| He had broken her heart; could one
| love with broken heart? Somebody
| was coming into the room with Il
lighted lamp, preceded by excited
voices. 1t was Miss LIE Breton, fol-
lowed by Mrs. Ames.
'Isn't it marve!ous?n she was say
ing. "Such shock, too, for the
Squire's family, just as they were get
ting used to the idea of death!'
But is it true?" asked Miss LIE
Breton.
Betty had shrunken into the dark
corner of the long room (Which one
lamp only illuminated in patches) in
order to hide the tears upon her eye
| lids.
True as preaching. was just get
ting into the train for Haven this after
noon-I had been up to town for a
trifle of shopping-and l heard a famil-
lar voice saying: ALLOW me to carry
your bundle, Mrs. Ames.' 1t made me
sniver and my blood curdle. looked
over my shoulder, expecting TO see a
ghost-a railway stations queer
place for a ghost, though, isn't it?
Well, there stood Aleck Fanshawe. l
sham be any more surprised at the
Day of judgment"
What changer cried Miss LIE
Breton; land they all in their mourn
ing, and the stone up in the cemetery.
and the estate administered upon! l
wonder where Betty is?9''
'Yes, seems as though they'd been
to a mortal lot of expense for moth
ing"
..And what happy day for Louise
Turnerr' sighed Miss LIE Breton. II
suppose he has cabled to his father?"
Mrs. Ames answered with a hearty
laugh. That's the oldest part of it.
He asked about all the folks, coming
down in the train; he didn't know
they'd gone to Europe. Aad he asked
first of all after your Betty-upon my
word! And you don't want to know
about Louise?' said l. Louise who?'